


Don't Look Back, Keep Your Eyes on Me

by xanavici



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Allura Vysoren - Freeform, Family Reunions, Gen, Momleth Reunion, Percy de Rolo - Freeform, Vex'ahlia - Freeform, the mighty nein - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25885774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xanavici/pseuds/xanavici
Summary: It's just another average day for Keyleth.  Training new druids, managing Zephrah, talking with birds that probably aren't special but who does it hurt to pretend.  Getting Sending messages from Allura is pretty average too, but this one feels different...
Relationships: Keyleth & Vilya | Viridian
Comments: 9
Kudos: 232





	Don't Look Back, Keep Your Eyes on Me

**Author's Note:**

> Still not 100% happy with this but it's as good as it's going to get and I need to post it anyways to help power up the Keyleth summoning circle for tonight. 
> 
> (Also now that we know Vilya can Transport via Plants I know it won't go down like this but I I had already written most of this before last week so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ it's about the emotional angst anyways)

“Careful, only cut off the dead growth. We don’t want to hurt him.” 

Keyleth watches the young druid shift her shears slightly and cut a few inches lower than her original plan. Keyleth gives her an approving nod then takes a step back to watch the other druids trim the sun tree. It’s been twenty years since she first planted the small cutting from the original tree and it’s happily taken to the supple earth and brisk winds here in Zephrah. It’s almost 15 feet tall now and in another decade it should be big enough to travel through, but until then it’s a great tree to train the young druids with and it's a good conversationalist when she needs a friend. 

There’s a cry from above and Keyleth looks up to see a large raven land in the branches. It stares down at her and she gives it a polite nod. It cries again then flies down to her shoulder. It’s one of the largest one that lives here in Zephrah and it’s dark feathers iridesce a distinctive shade of blue. Keyleth smiles and conjures some goodberries to feed it. “Hey there, it’s good to see you again.”

“Caw!”

“I talked to Vex last week. Percy finally finished the third scene of his clock, that leaves two more to go. It will be interesting to see if he can finish them just as fast or if another little one will slow him down.”

The raven flaps its wings frantically.

“No, not her this time. Vesper. They’re not sure yet but it’ll be interesting to see what this one’s name will be since I’m pretty sure Vex and Percy have used all of them up.”

Keyleth falls into a comfortable silence as she watches the young druids finish up their task and turn to druidcrafting crowns and capes from the vines and blankets of moss growing nearby. 

“I still miss you, but I don’t think it hurts as much. I’m still not ready to move on but I can entertain the thought now without wanting to throw up and cry.” She reaches up and runs her hand down the smooth feathers. “I haven’t told anyone this but I don’t really remember what my mom looks like. Korrin has a drawing of the two of them from when they were younger but it’s not the same. I think back to when I was a kid and I know she had brown hair and freckles like me but I can’t remember anything else really.” Keyleth swallows the knot in her throat. “I just don’t want to forget what you look like which I know is stupid because Vex is right there but… you know what I’m trying to say.”

A chorus of bird calls rain down from above and Keyleth looks up to see a flock of ravens flying overhead. “I think that’s your cue. We’ll talk again soon.” She raises her shoulder to encourage the raven to fly off but it doesn’t move. Instead it chirps and rubs its beak against the antlers of her circlet. “What? I don’t understand what you’re trying-”

_ Keyleth, please come to my tower as soon as possible. There is an urgent matter that requires your presence. _

Keyleth recognizes Allura’s voice instantly, and while she’s usually happy to hear from their old friend, something in her voice is tight and wrong.

“I will be there within the hour.”

Keyleth quickly dismissed her students and rushes to her house. The raven flies along side her and perches in her windowsill as she pulls on her armor. As she finally dons the mantle, the raven crows one more time before finally flying off. She makes a quick stop to tell her advisors where she’s going and then she’s stepping through the large tree at the center of town. 

Seconds late she’s stepping out into the courtyard of Greyskull Keep. Any other time she would stop to say hello but today she instantly shifts into a large white raven and flies directly for Allura’s tower. It barely takes her fifteen minutes to fly to the Cloudtop district and as she nears the tower she spots Vex standing outside. Keyleth quickly spirals down and shifts back a couple feet above the ground with a gust of wind to cushion her landing.

“What’s wrong who’s hurt are you okay  _ is the new baby okay?” _

“Kiki, slow down, breathe. I’m fine and like I told you last week, we still don’t know if grand baby number 1 is here yet.”

“Okay, good, good… Wait where’s Percy oh my god did he finally blow one of his hands off I don’t have regeneration prepared today where’s Pike where-“

“Keyleth! Everyone is fine and no one died! It’s actually quite the opposite.”

“Wait-what?”

Vex scratches her forehead nervously and sighs. “Just, come inside.”

Confused, Keyleth follows Vex into the tower and up the stair to one of Allura’s large sitting rooms. Inside they find Allura talking to a group of people Keyleth doesn’t recognize. A tiefling, a halfling, a half-orc, three humans, and a firbolg (it’s been a while since she’s seen one of those). 

“Oh, Keyleth! Good, you’re here,” says Allura as she stands up. “Let me introduce you to The Mighty Nein. Mighty Nein, this is Keyleth of the Air Ashari. Archdruid, Headmaster of the Air Ashari, and Voice of the Tempest.”

The Mighty Nein, that sounds familiar. Keyleth remembers Allura mentioning meeting an interesting group of sellswords when she had to travel to Wildemount last month to help an old friend. And wow, if it isn’t like looking into a mirror of the past. A bunch of young upstarts looking to make some coin and get into a little trouble, but there’s already hardness in their eyes and heaviness on their shoulders that shouldn’t be there for a group of people so young. She wonders who they already lost.

There’s an awkward pause and Keyleth realizes they’re waiting for Allura to announce more titles. To be expected after meeting Vex and presumably Percy.

“It’s nice to meet all of you,” Keyleth finally says, saving them.

“Nice to meet you too,” says the dark skinned human woman with a smile. 

“Really?” says the half-orc as he elbows the woman in the side.

“What!?”

The half-orc rolls his eyes and steps forward. “It is nice to meet you, Headmaster.”

“Please, just Keyleth is fine.”

“Keyleth. My name is Fjord, this is Beau,” he says while pointing at the woman. “And this is Caduceus, Yasha, Caleb, Veth, and Jester.”

“Hi, I’m Keyleth- wait, you already know that, ummm- Allura you said there was some sort of problem?”

“Yes, well, Jester here contacted me after quite an interesting adventure they had and, well, it might be easier for her to explain.”

Jester’s eyes light up and she immediately skips up to Keyleth, her hands already gesticulating wildly. “Oh. My. Gosh. So it all started about a year ago when The Traveler, who like my god and the coolest person ever, told me he wanted to have all of his followers meet up and have a party and get to know each other and stuff and he asked me where we should have it and I suggested a volcano and he said he knew the perfect place, an island with a volcano called Rumblecusp!”

Keyleth stares, not quite able to take in how much energy this young girl has and how she was able to say so much in one breath.

“So we got all the planning done and after the peace talks we set sail for Rumblecusp on our ship  _ The Ball Eater _ , which by the way used to be a pirate ship until we kinda accidentally on purpose got the captain killed and the pirate king gave us her ship before exiling us from pirate island. Oh and by the way we were chased by a dragon turtle on our way there which was so crazy and after we got to the island it kinda sunk it but it’s okay because we found a new one.”

Keyleth just blinks.

“So we finally get there and Caleb spots a village near the volcano! We wanted to know if they had any, like, hotels or if they knew where the best place in the island to hold Traveler Con would be so we go find them and that’s when we found out the island was really really weird. No one in the village could remember where they came from or how long they were there for and they all worshipped this god named Vocado. That’s when we meet one of the leaders of the village, a really cool druid lady named Viridian. She told us we should ask Vocado for permission to have Traveler Con so we followed her to it’s lair and we kept thinking how it was really fucking weird that no one could remember anything. We found Vocado and he made us give him a bunch of stuff which wasn’t cool so when we left his lair we decided to get some answers so Cad cast Greater Restoration on Viridian and- can you believe this- her name isn’t Viridian!”

Allura steps forward and interrupts Jester. “And this is why I called you here.”

“Why? Because I’m also a druid? I mean, Allura, I’m happy to help however I can, but there are plenty of other druids that might be a little bit better at the whole talking to a complete stranger thing,” Keyleth says as she nervously wrings her hands around the Spire.”

“No, it’s not because you both are druids. It’s because- well- Percy and Pike are in my library with her and she already asked her some questions. We wanted to be sure before I sent for you.”

“Be sure of what?” she asks, beginning to get a little exasperated with the obvious stalling.

“Be sure that she is your mother.”

The room is instantly silent. Whatever Keyleth was going to say next is stuck in her throat as her fidgeting stops and all the air seemingly leaves the room. Allura and Vex look at her with apprehensive expressions. The Mighty Nein look at all of them with barely contained curiosity.

“W-What?” she chokes out.

“She said her name was Vilya,” says the human man- Caleb. “That she was from Tal’dori and a member of a tribe called the Ashari. She described a half-elf man with light hair and a redheaded girl, presumably her husband and daughter.”

“It- it can’t- she died. The kraken-  _ it fucking ate her _ .”

“In the water plane, correct? On the leadership quest thing?” Fjord asks. “She said it took her leg but she was able to swim away until she found another portal which spat her out on Rumblecusp.”

Keyleth struggles to find the words, but all that comes out is a sharp laugh. “You’re kidding. This- this has to be a joke, a prank. Did Scanlan put you up to this?”

“Darling.” Vex takes her hand and turns her face towards her. “This isn’t a prank. I wouldn’t joke about this.”

“But- it can’t- I don’t-”

“Go talk to her. Ask her any questions you need to. But Kiki, I think it’s her.”

Keyleth nods slowly and allows Vex to lead her to the library where the door is slightly ajar. It opens silently with a gentle push and first she sees Percy leaning against a bookshelf in the back with a hard look in his eyes. If Keyleth looks closely she can see the slight bulge of Animus under his coat. She can’t remember the last time he actually picked up that gun. Next she sees Pike. Her hair is up in her normal fun-buns and her plate mail still shines like the first day they got it. It’s been a while since she’s had to wear that armor so for a second Keyleth thinks it’s a little overkill, but then again the last time they had family unexpectedly show up that got a little more bloody than they were expecting. She pushes the door open a little more and sees the back of a woman. She wears piecemeal clothing of animal hides and vines and has long, wild, sun bleached hair that may have once been a dark auburn color. Across her lap is a twisting wooden staff and under that is a mass of vines where one leg should be.

Pike spots Keyleth first and stands up with a clatter. “Oh! You’re finally here!” She says with her normal nervously excited energy.

The woman turns around and Keyleth sees her face for the first time. It’s not the exact same as she remembers it, but it was a lifetime ago when she last saw it, and there are enough similarities that it makes her breath catch. Wide brown eyes above a sea of freckles stare back at her and mouth is hanging open. 

“Keyleth?” The woman- Viridian- Vil- asks as she slowly stands up and takes a step towards her.

Keyleth fully steps into the room and brandishes The Spire in front of her. “What was the first animal I turned into?”

“A wolf.” Another step forward.

“Where was my favorite place to hide during hide and seek?” Keyleth asks as tears start to well up.

“Behind Osmorn’s house, in the branches of the tall pine tree as high as you could make it.” Another step.

“What did you used to call me when I was little?” Her vision is blurry and her hands shake.

The woman stops right in front of her, The Spire pointed at her chest. “My fawn. You were a clumsy child, always scrapping your knees, but you never lost your smile.”

“Mom?”

“Keyleth.”

The Spire falls to the ground and Keyleth rushes forward to wrap her arms around her mother. The dams open and Keyleth can’t control the sobs. She thought she would have to wait another thousand years for this. 

“Oh my baby, my Kiki. I found you.”

Eventually Vilya pulls away and Keyleth starts to panic, but she only goes far enough to get a good look at her daughter. 

“Look at you, you’re so young. But your eyes, they’ve seen so much. How old are you my darling?”

Keyleth wipes away the tears as best she can. “I’ll be forty-four next month.”

“You’ve done it then, you’ve ascended to Archdruid.” Vilya runs her fingers over the edge of the mantle. “And you’ve completed the Aramenté. The kraken, did you…”

“I fought it, with my friends. We barely made it out in one piece, but we made it. And I worked with Uvenda to find another way to get the load stones.”

Vilya runs her hands over Keyleth’s shoulders, takes in the tattoos and the brand, traces her face, and combs through her hair. She can’t stop, she can’t let Keyleth slip through her fingers again.

“Mom?”

Calloused hands take hers and hold them tight.

“Where were you?”

Vilya sighs and squeezes her hands.

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it back to the portal to Vesrah, not in my condition. So I let the currents take me, anything to get away from that monster. Eventually I found a portal which led to an island, but to be honest I don’t remember arriving. My leg- the shock- I was unconscious for a week after the people there found me, and by the time I woke up the damage was done. There was this- thing- there that would take your memories if you stayed too long. When I finally woke up, all I knew was that I had a power over nature and nothing else. It wasn’t until they found me,” Vilya motions behind Keyleth and she looks to see The Mighty Nein hovering in the doorway. “They cleared my mind and helped me remember. We killed the thing that stole everyone’s memories, and then they helped me come here and finally find you again.”

“I- I don’t- there’s so much I want to tell you.”

“There’s so much I want to ask. Is Korrin-“

“He’ll be so happy to see you,” Keyleth says with a smile. Keyleth turns to face The Mighty Nein. “Thank you so much for bringing her home. If you need anything, the Air Ashari are in your debt.”

“Thank you,” Fjord says. “All we ask right now is a place to rest. We’ve had a long week.”

“That can be arranged,” Allure pipes up. “We would be honored to host you here in Emon.”

Keyleth turns back to her mother. She takes a moment to try and memorize the new freckles and lines on her face, but shakes her head. She has plenty of time to do that later. “Well mom, let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Twitter @xanavici  
> Find me on Tumblr at dabbinglitch (D&D blog) or cryptidhanzoshimada (main blog)


End file.
